
CMVIT 2021
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1880 (2021) 012038
IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1880/1/012038
2
sample, this article attempts to analyze the innovations in application forms and narrative features of
data news released by mainstream Chinese media during the anti-epidemic period.
2. The role of media in public health emergencies
During the sudden break out of public health emergencies, mainstream media are required to respond
quickly, accurately reporting the epidemic-related information as soon as possible. Mainstream media
should also popularize the knowledge of epidemic prevention to eliminate rumors, guide public opinion,
and avoid unnecessary public panic.
In addition to ensuring the public’s right to know, mainstream media also have the responsibility to
guide people to fight against the epidemic. With the development of Internet technology, the public will
actively exchange and share information in the face of disasters [1]. In China, information basically
comes from official channels. If mainstream media can increase the frequency of reporting and broaden
the scope of information source regarding the developing trend of the epidemic, the public's attention to
the related topics will be effectively increased, making personal agenda setting more consistent to the
media agenda setting, guiding the whole people to prevent the epidemic.
3. Digitization, visualization and data journalism
Data are quantitative facts, which can present objective existence neutrally and accurately. There are
many external manifestations of data, such as symbols, text, numbers, voice, images, videos, etc. The
information can be presented through these different carriers. Specifically in news production, open and
published data can help the public to better understand the truth and reality of specific events [2]. At the
same time, the data can convince the public due to its objectivity and neutrality.
News visualization is a new form of news reporting, integrating modern information technology,
data production and visualization production[3]. In the era of converged media, fixed linear news reports,
single text reports and even graphic reports can no longer meet the needs of the audiences. The
visualization of data news can just make up for this shortcoming. It can not only intuitively express the
news content, but also highlight key points through elements such as icons and colors to help audiences
obtain key information in the news.
The development of data journalism is inseparable from the advancement of technology. Data
journalism is a new method of news reporting based on data capture, mining, statistics, analysis and
visualization, and the core of it is the processing of data[4]. Xiangdong Xu proposed that the narrative
of data journalism is to tell news stories through the analysis, screening, and organization of data. This
process is actually the process of reconstructing narrative discourse[5]. It is not difficult to see that the
definition of data journalism by scholars has paid a lot attention to its innovation in news reporting.
During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the data news launched by the Chinese media
quickly spread the latest worsening trend of the epidemic on social media in an intuitive way, and made
data news more readable and interesting by using the form of vivid data expressions. It also popularizes
epidemic prevention knowledge in an easy-to-understand way, effectively enhancing the public’s
awareness of scientific epidemic prevention.
4. Methods of the research
4.1. Content Analysis method
This article uses content analysis method to analyze the reports related to the COVID-19 pandemic
released by the Xinhua Net data news section during the outbreak of the epidemic in China. As a
quantitative research method for systematic and objective description, content analysis is suitable for
describing the basic characteristics of the data news.
4.2. Sample description
According to the White Paper “China’s Action to Fight the New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic”, from
January 20 to May 31, China’s anti-epidemic operations experienced four important stages:
“containment of the spread of the epidemic”, “the number of new local cases gradually decreased to